Vibrato: The Way You Are
by Trancy Phantomhive
Summary: Marui is like a vibrato; the changes in him intrigues Niou to no end. Maybe, just maybe, that's the reason why he fell for him in the first place. /Niou x Marui, Ficlet./


**Disclaimer:** _I am not Konomi-sensei, therefore I do not own "The Prince of Tennis" or anything related to this manga, game and anime._

**Author's Note:** _*hits head on the wall* Banzai! ^_^ *head is bleeding* I'm back in this fandom with some Marui x Niou romance. :pp Sorry to those who are waiting for the update of "Lessons Just For You"; I'll update it when I can. Please enjoy and review! :)_

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_**"Vibrato: The Way You Are"**_

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_Adagio._

Their relationship is like adagio: slow to appear and slow to develop. Although it is more like capo, Niou thinks it best that it is adagio.

Niou Masaharu is rather an impatient man, regardless his Trickster Nature, when it comes to Marui Bunta. He has been sending the redhead several hints of his feelings — whenever he plays a prank on him, whenever he hides his precious apple-flavoured bubble gums, whenever he pisses the hell out of him — but all he gets in return are annoyed glances, _glares_, and endless bickering.

Marui is truly oblivious in this field.

_Andante._

Then, their relationship evolves to andante. It may be slow, too, as it is on a walking pace; but, at least to Niou, it's _much _faster than the first one.

Marui begins to note the silver-haired's actions. He feels drawn to him, like a metal to a magnet. He can't stop the confusing emotions overflowing; they're escaping him one by one! Marui feels unbelievably irate whenever he catches sight of Niou with one of their flirty classmates. He doesn't understand it, himself, until the Trickster decides to kiss him passionately on the lips and almost shouts "I like you, god damn it!" in annoyance that realisation dawns him.

He sees Niou more than a rival . . . _a friend_.

_He has fallen in love with him._

_Dolce.  
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Niou thinks that his relationship with Marui has become dolce. It's somehow sweet as they spend more time with each other than anyone else.

He lets his gentle side take over for a few moments — _an almost forgotten side of him_ — as he caress Marui's strawberry-coloured hair lovingly. They are lying peacefully under the cherry blossom tree; Marui's head resting on Niou's right shoulder as he dozes off.

Niou takes this chance to take a picture of his boyfriend in his phone, changing his wallpaper to a sleeping Marui. He smiles slightly at the sight, pocketing the phone, and sleeping after a while.

_Appassionato._

No matter where the Trickster looks at it, he sees that their steadily growing relationship takes the form of appassionato.

Who ever says that a way to show your love is by reciting sweet nothings to one's beloved's ear? In Marui and Niou's case, the way they express _passion_ is by playing pranks on other people, spending their time at confectioneries and playing the famous 'hard to get' game at times.

_Bellicoso._

Everything changes to bellicoso, eventually.

The fight for dominance appears between them. They want to know who is 'superior' and who is 'inferior' in their relationship. They kiss each other aggressively — _possessively_ — and hug each other tight. They snog each other senseless until one of them passes out.

In the end, Niou becomes the Seme whilst Marui becomes to Uke, as the redhead lose consciousness due to having not consume any sugar for him to last.

_Strepitoso._

Niou did _not_ see it coming.

Marui freezes outside the classroom door in shock and clear disbelief as he witnesses Yagyuu Hiroshi ravishing his boyfriend's, Niou Masaharu's, mouth! Anger bubbles inside Marui as seconds ticks by; Niou is struggling to escape from Yagyuu's tight grip.

_It's all a misunderstanding; a misunderstanding! _Niou wants to yell this aloud, to comfort his boyfriend that it isn't what he think it is. He will _never_ cheat on him. _Never_.

Marui clenches his fist until they bleed, gives Niou a death-glare and throws a lot of profanities at the silver-haired teen.

"I knew this would happen," the volley specialist shakes his head as tears flow down his delicate face. He smiles gravely . . . and his eyes turn cold at the two figures inside the classroom. "But I never thought it was going to be this soon!" With that said, Marui runs away from the scene . . . _far away _from them with hurt-filled lavender-coloured eyes.

_Mancado._

Everyday is torture for Niou.

After their messy break-up, Marui has been treating him as though he does not even exist. It pains him a lot.

Even as he plays pranks on him to get the volley specialist's attention, Marui only shrugs it away as though it is not a big deal and blames it to his other classmates who he thinks may be responsible.

Niou hates it when their relationship is dying away . . . and it's all his fault.

_Lacrimoso._

It's the first time in many years that _the_ Niou Masaharu cries.

He laughs bitterly at himself with a tear-streaked face.

He _saw_ Marui with Kirihara Akaya, their junior, spending time with each other and laughing like a happy couple in the city centre. He _saw_ Marui kiss Akaya on the cheek as they bid each other good bye, and the baby of their Tennis Team give him a hug in return.

Niou Masaharu declares that he _will definitely_ get his lover back.

Even if it kills him.

_Bisbigliando._

He works his way back to Marui, making his presence known as it always have.

Marui coolly ignores him, but a warm whisper of the Trickster's presence is enough for the time being.

_Calore._

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" Marui demands, trashing and struggling in Niou's tight embrace.

He gasps as Niou's lips claims his in a matter of seconds. He kisses him roughly, completely shutting Marui's protests, until there is no longer room for more arguments.

Niou smiles against Marui's lips as the latter begins to respond.

They make out for seconds . . . _minutes_ . . . and it feels like an eternity has passed by — _it has been far too long for the both of them_ — without them touching one another when, in fact, it has only been three weeks.

"Why did you do that for?" Marui says in between pants, clutching the front of Niou's shirt as he leans on the Trickster's shoulder for support. He doesn't think his legs will last any longer . . .

Niou engulfs Marui in a warm embrace, softly brushing his lips on the volley specialist's earlobe as he whispers, "Still love you and always will, puri."

_Fuocoso._

Niou grins widely as Marui closes the small gap between them with his lips in fiery passion.

He decides that no matter what happens, he will never hurt his boyfriend again.

He'll never let go of him . . .

. . . because he loves him too much to not do so.

_Vibrato._

Marui is like a vibrato; the changes in him intrigues Niou to no end. Maybe, just maybe, that's the reason why he fell for him in the first place._  
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End file.
